Learning a second language

    Nowadays, more and more people are learning a second language. So why should we invest time in learning a second language? Is it worth it? What are the benefits of learning a second language? Let us see.

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    If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages will help you to communicate with them better. It may also help you to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts. Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chance of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

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    Needless to say, being able to speak a foreign language, for example, the Japanese, would benefit you a lot when you are travelling to Japan. Being able to speak the language of the target country will save you a lot of communication trouble and inconvenience. {#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Education

    If you are a high school student or a college student who is interested in going abroad for further education, then you will, in all possibility, have to learn the language of the country where you wish to move to, for further studies. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

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    Learning a second language can help in broadening one's horizon, it can help in learning about the culture of that particular country and it can pave the way for new interests and hobbies. Not only can you enjoy forms of art and literature connected with the new language, but you can also meet new people, make new friends and develop long-lasting relationships…all on the basis of learning a new language.

    Many parents would like to teach their children English at home, but don't know how to start. It doesn't matter if your own English is not perfect. The most important thing is that you give your children lots of encouragement and praise.{#blank#}1{#/blank#} They will need some time to learn the language.

Make it a rule

    Try to do certain activities at the same time every day.{#blank#}2{#/blank#} For example, you could read an English story with your children before bedtime. Repetition (重复) is important — children often need to hear words many times before they say them themselves.

Playing games

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Cards are a great way to teach words and there are many different games which you can play with cards, such as Memory and Happy Families.

Using everyday situations

    The advantage of teaching English at home is that you can use everyday situations to practice the language naturally. For example:

    Talk about clothes when your child is getting dressed (＂Let's put on your blue socks＂, etc.).

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}When you go to the supermarket, give your child a list of things to find.

    Using songs

    Songs are a really good way to learn new words. Songs with actions are especially good for very young children because they are able to join in.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Fifteen minutes is enough for very young children.

B. Children learn naturally when they are having fun.

C. Teach food words when you are cooking or going shopping.

D. The actions often show the meaning of the words in the song.

E. With younger children, there is no need to teach grammar rules.

F. Don't worry if your child doesn't start speaking English immediately.

G. Children feel more comfortable and confident when they know what to expect.

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    Home can be a great place for children to study. It's important to provide a workspace of their own where they can read books or just write a letter to their friends.

Location(位置)

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Kitchen and dining room are not so well suited for regular study, since books and pens get in the way of the day-to-day uses of those areas. Set up a place where a child can settle in and leave papers and pens at band without having to clear everything away each night. For a child that likes being alone, set aside a corner of his bedroom, but keep it separate from things like games, music and other hobbies not related to studying.

Keeping Things in Order

    Parents should encourage their child to spread out, but to leave it neat and orderly when he isn't using his workspace. Ownership is very important for self-respect{#blank#}3{#/blank#}. The workplace should be personal, but not another part of the playroom.

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    Encourage the whole family to help build a supportive environment that children need for success in school. Give them a good example of how to deal with problems, how to manage time and get things done in the right way.

    {#blank#}5{#/blank#}Study will be more enjoyable and effective when supported by the whole family.

A. Attitude Is Everything

B. Bring Organization into Your Home

C. Here are several ways to choose a location

D. Building a Good Home Learning Environment

E. Hold a can-do attitude and your child will follow your example

F. Setting up a space in a common area of your home can be a good idea for children

G. A child who learns to organize his spare will carry organization into every corner of his life

Kids' health: Four steps for fighting stress

    Everybody gets stressed from time to time．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Some ways of dealing with stress - like screaming or hitting someone - don't solve much．But other ways, like talking to someone you trust, can lead you to solving your problem or at least feeling better．

    Try taking these four steps the next time you are stressed:

    ⑴Get support．When you need help, reach out to the people who care about you．Talk to a trusted adult, such as a parent or other relatives．{#blank#}2{#/blank#}They might have had similar problems, such as dealing with a test, or the death of a beloved pet．

    ⑵Don't take it out on yourself．Sometimes when kids are stressed and upset they take it out on themselves．Oh, dear, that's not a good idea．Remember that there are always people to help you．Don't take it out on yourself．{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    ⑶Try to solve the problem．After you're calm and you have support from adults and friends, it's time to get down to business．{#blank#}4{#/blank#}Even if you can't solve it all, you can solve a piece of it．

    ⑷Be positive．Most stress is temporary（暂时的）．Remember stress does go away, especially when you figure out the problem and start working on solving it．

    These steps aren't magic, but they do work．And if you can stay positive as you make your way through a tough time, you'll help yourself feel better even faster．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A．Ask for a helping hand to get you through the tough situation．

B．Notice your friends' feelings and find a way to help them．

C．Different people feel stress in different ways．

D．Ah, it feels so good when the stress is gone．

E．You need to figure out what the problem is．

F．And don't forget about your friends．

G．Then, find a way to calm down．

    Keeping the memory in shape is important at any age, but it requires a bit more work as we grow. There are some simple activities that can improve your memory.{#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Awaken your senses.

    Use your senses to help your memory store(储存) needed information.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}You can ask yourself like this: Is the sky a light blue or deep purple? The more involved(参与的) you can be in the information, the easier it is for your brain to store it.

    Use imagination and relation.

    Trying to remember names? Let's say you meet a man named Frank Parker.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}Tie the two together by picturing Frank dressed up in a hot dog costume(服装) parking his car in the parking lot. Now each time you see Frank, you should easily recall his name.

    Breathe deeply and relax.

    {#blank#}4{#/blank#}Relax, breathe deeply and slowly and let your mind ease up for a minute. Being relaxed makes it easier for information to be both stored and remembered.

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    When you come upon something you need to remember, say to yourself, "Hey, pay attention and remember this! "You are giving yourself a wake-up call as well as giving your mind a marker that it can use to help in storing the new information.

A. Give yourself an order.

B. Get a good night's sleep.

C. Here are four of them to get you started.

D. Picture a hot dog for Frank and a car for Parker.

E. For example, note the colors of a picture you want to remember.

F. When we try hard to remember something we often become nervous.

G. The way you live influences not only your physical health but also your memory.

    The wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} He was said to only accept men as members of his gang who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} A large number of competitors, people, and journalists from Finland to Canada attend the Wife-carrying World Championship every year.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} The Wife-carrying World Championship is held on a 253.3 meters long official track. The track has two dry obstacles and a water obstacle, about a meter deep. The wife to be carried may be your own, or your neighbor's. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kg. If she is less than 49kg, the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be fined 15 seconds. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink.” Then he may continue the race. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

    While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife carrying dance and other forms of entertainment.”

A. There are a few basic rules.

B. People everywhere hold the event.

C. A special prize is awarded to the team.

D. Do you know how these traditions restarted?

E. This event is becoming increasingly popular.

F. The winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time.

G. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area.